The return of SAILOR MOON!
The International “relaunch” of SAILORMOON will take off from Italy.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Paris (January 25, 2010) - Toei Animation and Backstage ink a deal to re-launch the classic
‘anime’ SAILORMOON on the Italian market. The Italian agency will manage the exploitation of
the following rights for Italy: TV, publishing, merchandising and theatrical release. The feasibility
of this project also relies on a close collaboration with the original author of SAILORMOON, Mrs
Naoko Takeuchi.
«We are very happy» commented Kanji Kazahaya, Directeur General, Toei Animation Europe, «to
have Backstage as the licensing partner of SAILORMOON. It is one of the most important factor
of success. We are certain that strategically Italy is the ideal country to initiate a global re-launch
of the classic Japanese animated series, such as SAILORMOON. The Italian public has
traditionally been passionate about ‘anime’».
Toei Animation confirms the trust given to the Italian agency, which is already in charge of
managing other important Toei Animation properties such as Dragon Ball, Saint Seiya and One
Piece.
In Japan, SAILORMOON has been a real cultural phenomenon but also one of the biggest success
worldwide during the 90’s. With 5 seasons, a total of 200 episodes of 26 min. each, plus six
feature films, SAILORMOON managed to conquer a wide public, mainly female, thanks to its
uniqueness and a plot full of humor, actions and emotions.
«We are thrilled to manage SAILORMOON rights for the second time» said Gianpietro Peia,
Backstage CEO. «We are very proud of the outcome of the delicate negotiation with the author
and also of the trust gained by Toei Animation. SAILORMOON can rely on hundreds of passionate
and excited fans so we are positive about obtaining good commercial results. Many Italian
companies have already expressed their interest and they will be able to take advantage of a
totally new and redesigned Style Guide».
Mediaset have already purchased the TV rights and they should air the first series in Autumn
2010.

Sailor Moon Manga Returns to Italy!
GP Publishing will be releasing a new edition of the Sailor Moon manga series. Italian fans will be pleased to hear that Italy will be the first European country to see the manga return. GP Publishing was chosen to work with Kodansha to release this new edition that GP Publishing describes as "long awaited by fans." GP Publishing stated that it will "highlight the full attention to detail that the author has infused into the pages."

To be released in the second half of 2010, possibly as early as November, the Sailor Moon manga will be released in two editions: an edition for newspaper stands and a deluxe comic. The deluxe comic is described as "completely faithful to the most recent edition of the Japanese original" and is "revised and corrected by the author herself, Naoko Takeuchi." The manga will also include new translations and new lettering. The deluxe edition is said to have a colour dust jacket (with the cover art being the same as the Japanese reissue), better quality paper, and will even include some colour pages. It seems that it will have the same number of volumes as the latest Japanese edition, which is 12 regular volumes, 2 volumes of extra short stories, and 2 volumes of Sailor V. Sound effects will remain in Japanese with an asterisk beside and a translation noted elsewhere.

The Sailor Moon series will be launched March 7 on Portuguese pay TV channel Canal Panda, part of Dreamia group.

It will be broadcasted daily at 1 PM and 8:30 PM on week days, and 1 PM and 9:00 PM on weekends.

Dreamia also acquired the pay TV rights to the 5 seasons of Sailor Moon in Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Săo Tomé & Príncipe and Cape Verde.

One of the most famous anime properties of all time, a true classic and a pioneer in the definite breakthrough of Japanese anime throughout Europe in the first half of 1990s. Plus Licens is proud to once again represent the legendary Sailor Moon, making a full-scale comeback with a brand new styleguide!

- We're happy to once again work with this Japanese classic, says Maria Ornryd, Category Head Media at Plus Licens HQ. - Sailor Moon was the very first Japanese property in Plus Licens' portfolio back in the mid-1990s and we are proud to again work with the series, for merchandising and publishing - excluding the original manga - as well as television and DVD rights throughout our territories. We're confident that the new styleguide, fully reflecting the timeless qualities of Sailor Moon, will appeal to the audience that already knows the property as well as help gaining new generations of fans.

Says Kanji Kazahaya, Managing Director of Toei Animation Europe: - We are thrilled to conclude this deal and to have Plus Licens again as the licensing partner for Sailor Moon. We are looking forward to the re-launch of classic Japanese animated series such as Sailor Moon in these key territories.

Toei Animation Inks New Deals In Latin America

Press Release from Toei Animation


LOS ANGELES/MIAMI (January 24) – Toei Animation announced today that it has finalized new licensing and merchandising deals in Latin America for several of the company’s animated properties.

HOME ENTERTAINMENT:
* Brazil’s Playarte will create a DVD box set for Saint Seiya: Myth of the Resurrected Gold Saints.
* Mexico’s Towers Entertainment will release DVD collections for the Sailor Moon and Saint Seiya series.
* Brazil’s CD & DVD Factory will release the Sailor Moon series on DVD.

Guten Morgen Deutscher Moonies! Ich habe einige guten Nachrichten fur sie! Germany's FinanzenNachrichten reports that Munich's licensing company M4e has acquired the rights for Sailor Moon! M4e will be managing free and pay TV broadcasting rights, home entertainment, and licensing and merchandising for the anime in the German speaking world, including Germany, Austria, and Switzerland! The press release also makes a note that after the successful relaunch of the franchise in Italy next year, it was only logical that the next steps include the Iberian market (Spain and Portugal), Scandinavian market, and the German market. The article also hints that they will be making use of the new style guide created in Italy!

NEW YORK, New York – March 18, 2011 – Kodansha USA Publishing, a subsidiary of Kodansha, announced today the exciting return of Naoko Takeuchi's SAILOR MOON, one of the most significant names in comics and manga, to US publishing. Brand new deluxe editions of the acclaimed series will be released by Kodansha USA's Kodansha Comics imprint in September 2011. Out of print for six years, SAILOR MOON re-launches along with Takeuchi's two-volume prequel series CODENAME: SAILOR V, in print in the US for the first time—making this one of the most highly anticipated manga releases in years.

The Sailor Moon manga, which originated in Japan in 1992 and debuted in the US in 1997, follows Usagi Tsukino, a young girl who transforms into super heroine Sailor Moon to combat evil and fight for love and justice in the name of the Moon and the mysterious Moon Princess. The first successful shôjo (girls') manga release in the US, SAILOR MOON changed the book landscape and helped establish the foundation for the manga craze; in particular drawing attention to the popularity of comics among female readers.

Prequel series CODENAME: SAILOR V, the first of Takeuchi's “magical girl” manga, will make its highly anticipated debut in the US alongside the SAILOR MOON re-launch. In CODENAME: SAILOR V, teenager Minako Aino fights as Sailor V against the villains of the Dark Agency before she discovers Sailor Moon.

The Kodansha USA editions of SAILOR MOON will be published on a bi-monthly schedule and follow the 2003 Japanese re-release format of the classic series. The original 18 volumes have been condensed into 12 volumes covering the main storyline, and two volumes dedicated to short stories. Each volume has gorgeous new cover art, retouched interior art and dialogue along with extensive bonus material from Takeuchi, and detailed translation notes.

One of the most recognized manga and anime properties in the world, SAILOR MOON took American pop culture by storm, with mentions in music (“One Week” by Barenaked Ladies), bestselling books (The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot) and more. In Japan, over 15 million copies have been sold and the series has generated everything from animated features to live action musicals, a live action television series and countless merchandise.

“I'm very excited to reintroduce Ms. Takeuchi's work to her American fans,” said Yoshio Irie, president and CEO of Kodansha USA Publishing. Irie is also the former chief editor of Nakayosi magazine in which the Sailor Moon manga was serialized. “As we continue to build the Kodansha Comics manga list, a title like SAILOR MOON is the jewel in our crown. As the former chief editor of the work in Japan, I'm especially thrilled to finally release the prequel, CODENAME: SAILOR V, to the many fans who have been asking for it at long last.”

Sailor Moon Manga Coming to Germany


We've received confirmation that the Sailor Moon manga will be returning in Germany via EMA publishing in October 2011.


Releases will be once a month. The German version will be based on the Japanese 2003 edition, with the previous 18 volumes condensed into 12. Each book will sell for 6.50 € and include colour pages. Also included in EMA's release will be the two volumes of short stories as well as the 2-volume prequel Sailor V

BREAKING NEWS: Brazil Puts Up A Good Fight, But A New Dub Wasn’t Meant to Be.


Save our Sailors Brazil reported the sad news yesterday that after a long and lengthy crusade to get a redub of Sailor Moon, it was not meant to be. A statement posted to their site from Márcio S. Reginnette, a representative of Brazil’s CD & DVD Factory, states that a redub of Sailor Moon S is not authorized because Naoko Takeuchi has not approved of any redubbing in any language. The same request was made in Italy as well, and was also denied. The statement also makes mention that Toei Animation does not have any exclusivity over the franchise, and prior approval has to be obtained by Naoko Takeuchi. There is also an excellent response to these developments posted over at Papo de Budega.

From what we know, the anime and manga are a sort of “co-agreement” between Naoko Takeuchi and the companies involved. Fans probably also notice that Naoko Takeuchi’s name is on every piece of Sailor Moon merchandise coming out their way these days. With the manga, Kodansha has the rights to publish it, but only after obtaining Naoko Takeuchi’s permission. But at the same time, she cannot hold it back. The same deal goes with the anime and Toei Animation as well. We do not know how many years that this current co-agreement is going to last, but that if matters regarding Sailor Moon do not go smoothly, they could be pulled away at any time.

While we understand fans’ anger, sadness, and frustration over this turn of events, please don’t be mad at Naoko Takeuchi. For all we know, the time frame for Sailor Moon’s return could be really short, and she may not like the idea of a redub keeping the series away from fans in an already shortened timeframe. Or, perhaps she likes everything the way it is and doesn’t want to change things too much. We are disgruntled too, as this leaves the fate of an English release of Sailor Stars up in the air, but at the same time we are thankful to have the Sailor Moon manga back (and hopefully soon, the anime).

Once again, huge hugs from Moon Chase to Save Our Sailors Brazil and everything they have worked so hard for. Keep up the strength, although your release has had it’s turmoils (starting with Season 3), you have done a lot for the fandom and we are sure every one of your readers thanks you for that!